On the morning of its grand opening on July 25, Bayreuth will put on an opera for children.
This year, it’s Parsifal – directed by a Berlin opera student, Ruth Asralda.
The picture is from a grownup Bayreuth Parsifal.
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Bayreuth has been doing this for years. I recall attending a „Tannhäuser-for Tots“ in a rehearsal space packed wall-to-wall with elementary school children, and they loved every second of it! It was done tastefully and gave an opportunity for ensemble members to take on lead roles, and maybe planted the seeds of curiosity in some of its attendees.
Rather looks like a blown-up Amfortas.
Parsifal is not for kids.
Why not? Short of explicit sexuality, anything „adult“ is most educating for children. What they don‘t understand yet, makes them WANT to understand. That‘s how mental growth basically works. Particularly we in classical music should know that!
I remember my Tristan and Mahler at prepubescent age very well! Will never forget.
I wonder, if our apparent decadence and mental retardation as society is also rooted in this approach of our consumer-capitalism times, of selling everything several times to people, each time in another „age appropriate“ wrapping.
Parsifal is a kid.
Somehow, I simply can’t imagine Parsifal being treated to the “Kinder szenen”. In fact, much of Wagner seems ill-suited to the family-hour treatment. But Parsifal and Tristan especially would require some special explication. Plus, so much of the music is scary- Act 3 prelude of Parsifal almost sounds like death or dying; and most of act 3 of Tristan would scare ANYone!
Don’t agree. The series of Wagner operas in Minden opens its dress rehearsal only to schoolchildren, no cuts, no concessions. They love it. The MD tells me that a significant number of those young people have gone on to choose a career in the performing arts after attending one of these performances. The series started in 2003 with Der fliegende Holländer. This year is Parsifal.
Maybe next year they can stage “The Flying Dutchman Meets Peter Pan”! Now that would be a real treat for the kiddies!